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RAP Tax: The Davis County Clipper’s Perspective

First, I would, thankfully, like to state that I do not believe the vast majority of RAP supporters hold the views demonstrated below. However, the following article and excerpts do demonstrate the attitude of elitists on a variety of issues. Fortunately, the Clipper effectively demonstrates some of the problems with this and other special interest issues warned of by Milton Friedman and myself.

And this time, it passed by an overwhelming number (1,264 to 943) instead of failing by a slim few votes. But the only question really is: what took the residents so long?

The arts are a fantastic way to express yourself. Think of how much artistic expression people have seen in their modern lives. Although states like Utah don’t take art galleries as seriously as, say, New York, an artist is still an artist.

But before I get too far ahead with art, there’s a need for me to ask why people oppose parks in their neighborhoods. The “R” and “P” go hand-in-hand to me; build a park with a playground or a trail and it’s a recreational facility too.

So what’s wrong with purchasing a little more land to make room for your city to grow? Nothing. But according to 943 people one-tenth of a penny is just too much to ask.

The Clipper makes an argument that could be used as a “poster child” for the arguments Milton Friedman made regarding “Why Special Interests Prevail“. The article manages to cover the bases from the “a few cents” to attacking the opposition for being cheap and uncaring. The article also ignores the fact that those tenth of pennies add up each time you purchase anything on top of the other tax increases we’ve seen.

The article manages to maintain the tone (from “…what took residents so long?” to the concluding “…to 943 people one-tenth of a penny is just too much to ask.”) that people opposed to the Clipper’s particular pet issue are really just a bunch of knuckle-dragging scrooges throughout the article. Amazing, simply amazing.

Yet it isn’t over yet. In enlightening us on the benefits of another tax, the Clipper highlights one of the problems I’ve warned of (or click here for a complete list) in distributing public money for things private individuals can handle (emphasis added):

One resident complained that the RAP tax will be bad for the city because it won’t be controlled by the city. Her example was a piece of art that was shown in New York that displayed a crucifix in a jar full of urine. As distasteful and disgusting as it sounds, the artist and many others viewed it as an artistic expression.

It appears, the Clipper will defend the use of your confiscated money to be used for such “artistic expression”. As I warned, once the money is blown on the theater, what happens, thereafter?

Ultimately, the money becomes politicians’ play money to fund their pet projects and goes up for grabs to various artistic groups. That will include those offensive to the community. Then what. They have a right to claim the money and you can bet the ACLU et al will enforce that claim. The genie is out of the bottle.

Finally, if you are one of 943 who stood and voted according to your principles, keep your head up. No matter what you stand for, there will always be those who will call you names etc in an effort to indimidate you to their side or silence. We see the tactic above and we see it on the news (a good example is the Proposition 8 issue) and it will not be going away. Don’t, ever, be intimidated into compromising your core values.